Spline and connecter



Dec. 20, 1938. G. SLAYTER ET AL 2,140,772 I SPLINE AND GONNECTER Fi'led May l'7, 1937 1' 2 Sheets-Sheet l m y N H M g 7 Y \w 4 m. m Wm Y a 1 l gas 4 Z M U aw fwm ATTORNEY.S

Dec. 20, 1938.

G. SLAYTER ET AL SPLINE AND CONNECTER Filed May 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Games layrer Howard W CoHins I A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Games Slayter and Howard W. Collins, Newark, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Ingleside Company, Newark, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 17, 1937, Serial No. 143,202

3 Claims.

The invention relates generallyto building con; structions, and refers more especially to improvements in the means for securing floor and wall sections together.

Heretofore, builders of prefabricated or sectional buildings have had great difliculty in properly securing together finished wall sections. The result was that actually much of the construction had to be done on the lot and a great deal of time was wasted in properly aligning and securing the sections together. Thislinvention'overcomes those obstacles by providing spline connecters which not only rigidly secure the finished sections together rapidly and easily, but which also align the sections both vertically and laterally.

Thus the object of the invention is to devise a spline connecter for adjoining floor or wall sec-.

tions which holds the sections in a firm and permanent position with relation to each other.

A further object of the invention is the provision of .a spline which may be easily installed, even when wall paneling is attached to the studding.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a spline connecter which will aid in the proper alignment of adjoining sections, both laterally and vertically.

A still further object of the invention is a spline which is completely concealed between the wall sections and which acts as a Weatherstrip between the adjoining edges of the sections.

The foregoing as well as other objects of the invention will be more apparent as the description bly and having certain parts broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the floor of Fig. 1 showing the spline used to join the floor sections together;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of wedge means.

With reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the draw ings, it will be seen that a wall portion of the building is shown. This wall comprises a plurality of sections l0 and II, each section having vertical edge studs l3 and I4 extending substantially the length of the section and located between inner and outer panel boards 26 and 21. The adjacent studs l3 and I4 of the two adjoining sections l0 and I I are secured together by the present invention, comprising a spline connecter having a key i9 and at least one connecter 20 extending transverse of the key and preferably permanently secured thereto. Both the key l9 and the connecter 20 are herein shown as comprising a fiat strip of sheet metal.

For reception of the spline connecter 25 the studs l3 and I4 have their inner faces l5 and I6 grooved the length thereof as at H and It to provide .a [seat for the key l9. At longitudinally spaced points thestuds are also provided with slots 23 and 24 registering with grooves I1 and I8. These slots are carried through to the outer surface 2| and'22 of the studs so as to provide a seat for the connecter 20. The number of pairs of slots in the studs will depend upon the number of connecters desired to be used. We prefer to use three or four connecters per section, spaced substantially equi-distant throughout the length of the studs l3 and I4.

\ Near the ended the connecters are apertures 3| for the reception of wedge means 32 herein shown as a wedge peg. The apertures are so positioned on the connecter that when the latter is seated in the slots the inner ends of the apertures will not extend beyond the outer edges 2| and 22 of the studs. Thus when the pegs 32 are inserted in the apertures, a wedging action is obtained between the outer ends of the apertures 3| and the outer side of the studding. To overcome any tendency of the sections to acquire slack due to the wood studding giving under this pressure, it is advisable to attach to the outer surfaces 2| and 22 of the studs wear plates having openings in alignment with slots 23 and 24. To allow insertion of the pegs 32, openings 33 are made in the panel board at a position which will place them in line with the apertures 3| when the connecter 20 is in place between the studding.

The operation of the spline is as follows: Wall section I0 is mounted on foundation means 34 and secured in place. The spline key i9 is then seated in groove I1 and the connecters extend through slots 23 to the inner face M of stud I3. Wall section II is then mounted on foundation means 34-and moved up so that the other half of necters will extend through slots 24 to the inner face 22 of the stud l4. The pegs are then inserted through apertures 3| and driven firmly into place.

The construction of the spline and its operation in the floor sections is substantially the same as that just described for the wall sections. The key 83, however, is much shorter than the key l9, being only a foot or so in length. The connecter 23-, however, is the same, only one being necessary for each key 38. About three or four inde-.

pendent splines 25' are used in each floor section.

The fioor sections 4| and 42 vary, of course, from the wall sections. The frame work 43 may be lighter and usually the joists 44 and 45 are spaced apart, thus reducing the number of joists necessary to support a given surface. When the joists are not sufilciently thick or suiliciently close together to allow for grooving, we use filler blocks 46 and 41 substantially the length of key 38 and attach them to the inner walls 48 and 4! of the joists 44 and 45. Grooves l1 and I3 are made into blocks and Slots 23' and 24 are also made in the blocks, the latter being carried through to the outer faces and SI of the joists 44 and 45. Wedge plates 30 may then be installed. The apertures 3| have their inner ends located with respect to the outer surfaces 50 and 5| of the joists in the same manner as described for the wall sections.

Over the joists 44 and 45 of each section the applicants use a fibre board panel for the upper or subfloor surface 52 of the section and plaster board I3 as the lower or ceiling portion of the section. The openings 33 are preferably made in the upper panel! and located with relation to the slots 3| in the same manner as openings 33 were located for slots 3|.

The connection of the floor sections is as follows. One section such as 4| is seated on suitable supporting means. A key 38 is inserted in each groove il of .the blocks 46 and a connecter for each key is inserted in each slot 23. Section 4! may then be placed adjacent 4| allowing the other half of the keys and connecters to be seated in the respective grooves and slots. The wedge pegs 32- are then inserted and driven tightly into place. In Figure '7 a modified form 54 of wedge peg32isshown. Thispeghasratchetteeth 55. These teeth are designed to engage the outer edge of apertures 3| and 3| and have a more definite locking action than the wedge peg 32. 4

Numerous other variations within the scope of this invention will .be apparent from the foregoing description. While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purposes of illustration only, and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea, the right being reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the provision of the claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

i. In a building construction, a pair of preformed building sections, each comprising spaced panel elements, structural members between said panel elements and at the edges thereof, means for securing said sections together comprising a metallic connecting element extending through the adjacent structural members, means extending transverse of said building section and through said connecting element and abutting said structural members for clamping the latter together, one ofsaid panel elements having holes therein provided for the insertion of said clamping means therethrough and into the space between said panel elements.

2. In a building construction, a pair of preformed building sections, each comprising spaced panel elements, structural members between said panel elements and at the edges thereof, means for securing said sections together comprising a key located between the adjacent sides of the members extending substantially the length of said member to prevent relative movement of the members in one direction, a connector extending through said structural members in a direction transverse to the key, and means extending transverse of said building sections and through said connector and abutting said structural elements for clamping the latter together, one of said panel elements having small openings therein provided for the insertion of said clamping means therethrough and into the space between said panel elements.

3. In a building construction, a pair of preformed building sections, each comprising spaced panel elements, structural members between said panel elements and near the edges thereof, means for securing said sections in fixed relation to one another, said means comprising-a key located between the adjacent sides of the members, filler blocks between the key and the members, a connecter extending through the filler blocks and the members in a direction transverse to the key and attached thereto, means extending transverse of said building sections and through said connecter and abutting said structural members for clamping the latter in fixed relation, one of said panel elements having holes therein provided for the insertion of said clamping means therethrough and into the space in said panel elements.

GAMES SLAY'I'ER. HOWARD W. COLLINS. 

